15 Mexican Snacks to Try Before You Die

After our last foray into foreign snackery, the Snack Fam made a collective blood pledge that we would tackle edible delicacies and travesties spanning the globe, leaving no culture or country unturned. Thankfully, we have a great enabler in Munchpak, which has helped curate our ventures once again, this time with our southern neighbors, Mexico, in mind.

For many Americans, Lucas candies and spicy, chile-laced chips produce deep feelings of schoolyard nostalgia. Pan dulce entered our collective snack consciousness as well, thanks to the popularity of brands like Bimbo. But for the purpose of this exercise, our aim was to explore the depths of Mexican snackery to improve our own ver-snack-ular, if you will.

Whether it was M&M knockoffs, red-hot fried chicharrones, slingshot gum shooters, or tamarind jam pots, we held no reservations (or utensils) and took the plunge.

Tasting Panel

Russ Bengtson, senior editor at Complex. Has considered using Pocky as chop sticks. (@russbengston)

Justin Bolois, features editor at First We Feast. Likes to give high-fives after eating Lucas. (@justinbolois)

Sarah Honda, brand manager at First We Feast. Just living for the next bag of pizzeria pretzel combos. (@sarah_honda)

Dan Resnick, snack correspondent for First We Feast. Does not object to the nickname "Donut Dan."

Frit-Os Sal y Limon

Photo by Andy Hur

Russ: "They're larger compared to the regular Fritos, but if you didn't tell me lime, I'm not sure that’s the flavor I'd guess."

Kristen: "I feel like they’re the zestier cousins of the American counterpart. It's the kind of thing you'd get at bars for free and stick your grubby hands in."

Brendan: "Which I did."

Kristen: "Please stop dabbing."

Justin: "The tastes reminds me of a cheap margarita mix you'd find at an Acapulco chain. Also, sup with the dash? Frit-os?"

Barryton

Russ: "I can't find the cream—has it solidified? No, they just straight up lied. It's basically a chocolate-coated loofah."

Brendan: "The chocolate reminds me of the kind they use for Hostess donettes. When you don't have an appetite for a real doughnut, grab a donette. Where's the cream though? I just feel like it’s misleading."

Dan: "It reminds me of a dried Drake's Yodel."

Kiubo Re-Mix Sabor Extremo

Russ: "It’s all coated in the same flammable material. It’s all kind of the same, just different shapes."

Brendan: "Diddy invented the remix. They're tough to share with friends because they’re all unique pieces."

Dan: "There appear to be what look like spicy Cheerios in here. For how red they are, the spice level is mild."

Doritos Flamin Hot Limon

Brendan: "Didn’t Cheetos invent the hot chip game? To me, the original Flamin' Hots are significantly hotter. These guys are hot, but not sure if they’re Flamin' Hot."

Kristen: "In the Flamin' Hot department, Doritos are just inferior to Cheetos. If I had to rank them: 1. Original Flamin' Hot Cheetos 2. Flamin' Hot Lime Cheetos 3. Then these."

Dan: "I'm pretty sure Hot Fries came way before Hot Cheetos."

Jolly Rancher Crayón

Russ: "This isn't the format I usually prefer my candy to take."

Kristen: "When you squeeze out the gel, it looks like the Ivan Ooze character from Power Rangers. It's a thing you need to eat seductively."

Sarah: "This is so cool, I get to pretend it's lip gloss."

Olla de Tamarindo

Russ: "It's been sold in same exact format since the 1300s. We should definitely take this on Antiques Roadshow."

Brendan: "It looks like something I'd buy in a forest in The Legend of Zelda that would restore my HP back to 100. I appreciate whatever artisan put this together."

Justin: "It has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with little seeds mixed throughout. Plus you can re-use the clay pot. Sustainability at its finest."

Churritos Corn Sticks

Justin: "It comes with a satchel of sauce, which is very impressive. I always like when there’s an accompaniment with something as ordinary as chips. These sticks almost taste a bit stale. The sauce is like Tapatio without the heat."

Russ: "It’s practically ketchup. You’re being far too kind."

Brendan: "I appreciate the transparent packaging, so you know what you're getting into. Now you know what it truly means to be lost in the sauce."

Dan: "They're very similar to the Chinese take-out noodles."

Lunetas

Brendan: "What could you possibly to do an M&M to improve it?"

Kristen: "You can taste a hint of mint."

Sarah: "The coasting is harder, and the shape is flatter."

Tinajita Panda Pop

Russ: "It tastes like stale frosting."

Kristen: "It tastes like cheap coffee."

Dan: "Listen, it just doesn't need to be in lollipop form."

Doritos 3D Quesos

Russ: "They definitely seem thicker than regular 3Ds. Doritios flavors in general are purely theoretical; you can call them whatever you want. They’re all the same."

Brendan: "Wait, are these are smaller than the original 3Ds, or am I just bigger? These taste a lot like bugles to me."

Nugs

Russ: "This better have weed in it...It tastes like a Snickers bar, but is flatter, as if someone had stepped on it. Not mad at it in a pinch."

Kristen: "Yeah, but it’s much less sweeter than a Snickers."

Dan: "It would benefit from some more nugs; the nug to chocolate ratio is off."

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